NY State of Politics: October 2, 2018

The Working Families Party filed paperwork Tuesday to begin the process of nominating Cynthia Nixon for a state Assembly seat in Manhattan should she drop out of the race for governor....

A Siena College poll this week found Nixon drawing 10 percent of the vote in a general election match up that includes Cuomo, Republican nominee Marc Molinaro as well as independent candidate Stephanie Miner, the Green Party’s Howie Hawkins and Libertarian candidate Larry Sharpe.

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by Nick Reisman

The Working Families Party filed paperwork Tuesday to begin the process of nominating Cynthia Nixon for a state Assembly seat in Manhattan should she drop out of the race for governor.

The move made this week by the party was described as a procedural one should the WFP endorse Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s re-election and have him run on its ballot line in November. A final and formal decision as to who the party will support for governor in the general election won’t be made until Wednesday.

The WFP filed a substitution to fill a vacancy in the 66th Assembly district in Manhattan. The nomination is not finalized and won’t take effect unless Nixon drops her bid for governor on the WFP ballot line.

The WFP last month had previously nominated its candidate for the Assembly in the district to a judgeship.

The move is designed to essentially keep the options of the WFP state committee open ahead of its meeting and is not a final decision on who it will ultimately have on its general election ballot.

“We are keeping all the options open before the state committee meets to make their decision tomorrow,” said WFP Director Bill Lipton.

Nixon lost a Democratic primary to Cuomo on Sept. 13. She had been the party’s endorsed candidate in April, when the WFP spurned Cuomo for the progressive actress and public education advocate.

Nixon is being nominated for the 66th Assembly district, where Democratic incumbent Deborah Glick is running for re-election. In a statement, Nixon said she is supporting and campaigning for Glick, regardless of where she is on the ballot in November.

“Whatever we decide in the Governor’s race, one thing is clear: in the 66th Assembly District, I’ll be campaigning for and voting for Assemblywoman Deborah Glick,” Nixon said.

Lipton added the party remains supportive of Glick’s re-election bid as well.

“We’ve enthusiastically supported Deborah Glick in the past and we’re proud to be supporting her for re-election again this year,” he said.

A Siena College poll this week found Nixon drawing 10 percent of the vote in a general election match up that includes Cuomo, Republican nominee Marc Molinaro as well as independent candidate Stephanie Miner, the Green Party’s Howie Hawkins and Libertarian candidate Larry Sharpe.

Cuomo has not given an indication as to whether he would accept the WFP’s endorsement, should he receive it.